UCSD May A 2025

Inside the halls of UC San Diego, the distinctive clatter of turning plastic resonated across the competition floor. Timers flashed green, inspection sheets lifted, and solve mats were prepped as thirty-seven competitors gathered for a day of intense speedcubing in San Diego, California, USA on May 11, 2025. The atmosphere was charged with the quiet concentration of seasoned solvers and the eager tension of newcomers stepping up to the tournament stage for the very first time.

For several participants, this cubing competition marked their official initiation into the tournament scene. Stepping onto the tournament floor for an official WCA competition brings an entirely different dimension to the hobby, transforming bedroom practice into registered results. First-time competitors adjusted their displays, observed the judge calls, and faced the running timer under the bright hall lights, beginning their competitive journeys alongside experienced contenders across seven fast-paced rounds.

Among the newcomers, Sebastian Ornemark completed his first official solves across three disciplines, posting a 1:16.84 single on the classic puzzle, a 44.90 in Skewb, and a 9.16 in the 2x2x2 Cube. Ellion Ornemark also logged a debut across three disciplines, recording a 4.67 single in the 2x2x2 Cube, a 15.93 in Skewb, and a 39.98 mark in the 3x3x3 Cube. Meanwhile, Arie Goff Van Riet tackled three events on debut, delivering a 9.57 single in the 2x2x2 Cube, 14.23 in Skewb, and 31.87 in the 3x3x3 Cube, while Marcus Spanks started his official journey with a 12.39 in the 2x2x2 Cube and 1:01.48 on the 3x3x3 Cube.

Veteran competitors also used the single-day meet to secure major breakthroughs across various categories. Edwin Villa took on four events and delivered a massive personal best of 26.23 in Square-1, cutting 53.2 percent off his prior mark, alongside a 10.43 personal record in the 3x3x3 Cube. Akash Kelkar registered a 4.54 personal best in the 2x2x2 Cube, an improvement of 25.6 percent, while taking on his first official Skewb solve at 6.72. Noah Socks secured a 15th-place finish in Square-1 with a first-time mark of 57.76 while dropping his Skewb personal best by 14.8 percent to 7.82. Shourya Meka shaved 27.8 percent off his Square-1 best with a 56.80 single and lowered his 2x2x2 Cube personal mark to 2.79.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube tournament delivered thrilling moments and tight margins. When the final 3x3 results were tallied, Eric Yang claimed victory with a winning average of 8.21 seconds, anchored by the event best single of 7.13 seconds across two competitive rounds. Joel Kim followed closely in second place with an 8.60 average, while Yichen Sheng earned third on the podium with an 8.81 mark.

In the rapid-fire 2x2x2 Cube division, Dominic Shoji captured top honours with a dominant 1.96 average and a blistering 1.11 single, leading thirty competitors through two rounds. Ian Yazid Zavala of Mexico secured second place with a 2.16 average, while Angel Muñoz rounded out the international podium in third with a 2.46 average. Shoji also logged round-specific bests during the event, including a 1.30 single and a 1.83 average.

The specialty puzzles generated equally fierce action on the tables. In Square-1, Michael Young took first place with a winning average of 10.98 seconds and a best single of 9.46. Ian Yazid Zavala earned the runner-up spot with a 12.47 average, followed by Dominic Shoji in third with 15.31. Zavala then reached the top step in Skewb, winning the event with a 4.62 average and a 3.29 single, ahead of Sota Kurosaki in second at 5.15 and Shoji taking third with 5.19.

The single-day gathering demonstrated the dynamic energy of speed cubing, from the mastery required on the Rubik's Cube to the rapid execution on smaller puzzles. Competitors from the USA, Mexico, and Japan shared podium honours, while beginners established their first benchmarks. As the concluding solves wrapped up at UCSD May A 2025, every solver walked away with fresh experience and clear targets for the next season.